Integrating Microbial Fuel Cell and Hydroponic Technologies Using a Ceramic Membrane Separator to Develop an Energy–Water–Food Supply System

• Published in: Membranes (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 9; p. 803
• Main Authors: Sato, Chikashi, Apollon, Wilgince, Luna-Maldonado, Alejandro Isabel, Paucar, Noris Evelin, Hibbert, Monte, Dudgeon, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Allium tuberosum; Aquatic plants; Biochemical fuel cells; Carbon compounds; Ceramic materials; Ceramics; Climate change; Electricity; Electricity distribution; Electrons; Energy; Energy sources; Food; Food supply; Food systems; Force and energy; Fuel cell industry; Fuel cells; Fuel technology; Garlic; Hydroponics; Maximum power density; Membranes; microbial fuel cell; Microorganisms; nutrient recovery; Nutrients; Plant growth; Sediments; Seeds; Separators; Wastewater; wastewater treatment; Water treatment; Wetlands; Massachusetts; China; Idaho
• ISSN: 2077-0375; 2077-0375
• DOI: 10.3390/membranes13090803

In this study, a microbial fuel cell was integrated into a hydroponic system (MFC-Hyp) using a ceramic membrane as a separator. The MFC-Hyp is a passive system that allows the transport of nutrients from wastewater in the microbial fuel cell (MFC) to water in the hydroponic vessel (Hyp) through a ceramic membrane separator, with no external energy input. The performance of this system was examined using potato-process wastewater as a source of energy and nutrients (K, P, N) and garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) as a hydroponic plant. The results showed that based on dry weight, the leaves of Allium tuberosum grew 142% more in the MFC-Hyp than those of the plant in the Hyp without the MFC, in a 49-day run. The mass fluxes of K, P, and NO3−-N from the MFC to the Hyp through the ceramic membrane were 4.18 ± 0.70, 3.78 ± 1.90, and 2.04 ± 0.98 µg s−1m−2, respectively. It was apparent that the diffusion of nutrients from wastewater in the MFC enhanced the plant growth in the Hyp. The MFC-Hyp in the presence of A. tuberosum produced the maximum power density of 130.2 ± 45.4 mW m−2. The findings of this study suggest that the MFC-Hyp system has great potential to be a “carbon-neutral” technology that could be transformed into an important part of a diversified worldwide energy–water–food supply system.